Written questions by Turner.

Whether banking hubs are obliged to accept cheque deposits.

The Government recognises that cheques remain an important payment method for some people. Decisions on whether cheque deposits are accepted and processed through Post Office counters in banking hubs are commercial matters for individual banks, based on their arrangements with the Post Office and Cash Access UK, which operates banking hubs. Most retail banks currently accept cheque deposits at banking hubs and the Government expects firms to ensure that customers can continue to access the services they need. Where this service is not available at a banking hub counter, customers continue to have alternative options to pay in cheques, including at bank branches and by post, or digitally via mobile banking apps using cheque imaging technology. Any customers affected by changes to cheque depositing services offered through banking hubs are encouraged to contact their bank directly to request information about the bank’s plans to support them. The Government continues to engage with the banking industry banking industry, the Post Office and Cash Access UK to improve the consistency and level of services provided through banking hubs, so that they meet the needs of communities across the UK.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury of 27 January 2026 on Business Rates, whether changes to the business rates for pubs will include social clubs.

All pubs and live music venues that meet the definitions set out in guidance will qualify for the business rates support announced on 27 January 2026. In keeping with the intent of this policy, the Government is working with Local Authorities to ensure this includes establishments that are open to wide sections of local communities. This includes social clubs, such as working men's clubs. I would like to thank my Honourable Friend for all his representations and engagement on this matter.

With reference to page 18 of the Financial Conduct Authority's publication entitled Regulatory Initiatives Grid - 9th Edition, published on 12 December 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the FCA's commitment to consult on the implementation of Sustainability Reporting Standards disclosure requirements for UK listed companies on (a) alignment with international financial reporting standards and (b) economic growth.

The government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy set out how UK can play a leading role in facilitating the financing of the global net zero transition. The UK is already one of the world’s leading sustainable finance centres – the challenge is to evolve and expand. To achieve that challenge, the government is delivering on a small number of targeted initiatives, working closely with the sector to make the biggest impact – boosting investor protection and UK competitiveness.As part of this, the government consulted last year on the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards, the UK’s implementation of the International Sustainability Standard Board’s global standards. The aim is to provide clear standards which support comparable and decision-useful disclosures for investors, and which align with other jurisdictions. The government will be publishing its consultation response along with the endorsed UK standards in Q1 2026.The government welcomes the FCA consultation on the implementation of UK Sustainability Reporting Standards for listed companies, which is due to be published later this month, and encourages the sector to engage with that process.

Whether the Valuation Office Agency has undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of Revaluation 2026 on the profit margins of public houses.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to UIN 101363.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2024 to Question 12091 on Prisons: Staff, when she plans to conclude the review of the guidance on the New Fair Deal.

The Government confirmed on 14 November 2024 that New Fair Deal was extended to further education bodies that operate in the statutory sector. The change applies from the date of the announcement and applies to tendering and outsourcing exercises that were in progress on that date, where the transfer of staff had not yet been concluded. This includes the tender for prison education services referenced in the answer of 11 November 2024 to Question 12091 on Prisons: Staff.

What the average processing time was for claims for Orchestra Tax Relief in each of the last five years.

HMRC balances the need to ensure that payments for tax reliefs are processed as quickly as possible with the need to ensure that they are claimed only by those who are eligible to do so. All claims for Orchestra Tax Relief are risk assessed on receipt. Where a claim is received and identified as requiring further review, HMRC may open an enquiry and ask for additional information.The information provided states the average number of days to process a claim, which includes payment of the claim or making a decision to ask for further information or open an enquiry.YearAverage Days to Process or Open an Enquiry24/253123/242822/232821/2235

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42342 on Railways: Public Expenditure, if her Department will make the calculations for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

It is possible to reproduce English regional railway expenditure excluding HS2 for the last five years using the Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) dataset. The table below shows the impact for the most recent CRA publication from November 2024:Railway spending for English regions in £s per capita, excluding HS2ITL Region2019-202020-212021-222022-232023-24North East118224188239255North West171222206203202Yorkshire and the Humber124239197196214East Midlands102197160156159West Midlands160238226216221East of England215423342308325London528687633683665South East235433333301299South West142222165149168England226353301298302

With reference to table 10.10 of her Department's publication entitled Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2024, published on 30 July 2024, if she will publish a version of the regional breakdown of per capita railway expenditure that excludes HS2's contribution.

The country and region tables shown in chapters 9 and 10 of PESA including table 10.10, were originally published the previous December as part of the Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) dataset. It is possible to reproduce railway expenditure excluding HS2 using the data published alongside each CRA release. Provided below is a link to collected editions of the Country and Regional Analysis publications on GOV.UK:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-and-regional-analysis

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of NHS staff being taxed as a second job for working overtime.

All income earned through employment is taxable, including income from further employment, such as from overtime or through additional employment. Tax is paid on individual’s overall income, regardless of the source of that income. Not all individuals who receive an income are formally employed, as many earn through self-employment or receive other sources of income. By paying tax on overall income, rather than solely through income from a single source of employment, the income tax system is highly progressive, with different rates of tax sitting above an internationally high Personal Allowance. When an individual moves from one tax band to another because of an increase in their income, they will only pay additional tax on the portion of their income that falls within the new tax band.

What contracts (a) BFS Group Limited and (b) subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited hold with (i) her Department and (ii) agencies of her Department.

HM Treasury and its executive agencies do not hold any such contracts.Details of government contracts over £10,000 are published on the Contracts Finder website.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the Office for Statistics Regulation's publication entitled OSR’s statement on the Labour Force Survey-derived estimates and Annual Population Survey-derived estimates, published on 12 December 2024.

Data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) remains subject to a number of quality concerns following a fall in response rates and are currently badged as official statistics in development. As set out in its December 2024 Labour Market Overview,[1] the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recommend using LFS data alongside other labour market indicators, including Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real-Time Information (RTI) and Workforce Jobs (WFJ). The ONS are continuing to improve the quality of the LFS, as described in its latest report LFS performance and quality monitoring report,[2] and have carried out a reweighting of LFS estimates, detailed in its December 2024 article[3], that has brought them into line with the ONS’ latest population numbers. The ONS is continuing to develop the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) as the long-term solution for collecting labour market data [4]. 1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/december20242 LFS performance and quality monitoring report: July to September 20243 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/impactofreweightingonlabourforcesurveykeyindicators/december20244 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/labourmarkettransformationupdateonprogressandplans/july2024